Improvement in breech-loading cannon



W. E. OSBORN.

Breach-Loading Ordnance.

Patented sem. 12.)' 1854.

No.. 11,678.l

N. PErERs,

lINiTnn STATES FATnNT Orrin-n.'

WILLIAM E. OSBORN, OF MILTON, NEV YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING CANNON.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1L67, dated September 12, 1854..

T0 all whom t may concern/.-

Beit known that I, WILLIAM E. OsBoRN, of Milton, in the county of Ulster and State of New York, have invented, made, and used certain new and useful Improvements in Breech-Loading Guns or Cannon; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, wherein- Figure l is a plan of a cannon complete as ready for use. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same.

The like marks of reference denote the same parts in both figures.

My improvements, although herein shown as applied to a cannon, are equally applicable to allsizes or descriptions of fire-arms; and it consists in certain means for opening and closing the bore or caliber of the gun at the breech in such a manner that a perfectly tight `joint is obtained, and that by the most simple and efficient means.

a is the gun, shown herein as provided with trunnions b b, as usual.

c is the bore or caliber of the gun.

a: is a mort-isc or opening made in the breech of the gun, and of a width slightly greater than the bore of the gun, the sides of which facing each-other are fiat and parallel to each other, and the side of said inortise next the bore of the gun is made in the curved form shown in Fig. 2. In the faces of this mortise fr deep square grooves 3 3 are formed, facing each other, and curved in the form shown in Fig. 2, as they pass down the faces of said mortise. Into the mortise thus formed I insert -a breech-piece, d, formed of a thickness to coincide with said mortise and work frel y therein, and said breech-piece is provided with shafts or trunnions l 1,of a size to fit the grooves 3 8, which grooves are rounded, as shown, to form boxes, in which said trunnions l l'can turn, and in this position the said trunnions are on the line, or nearly so, of the bore or caliber of the gun. The forward curved edge of this breechpiece d is an arc of a circle struck from apoint below the' center of the tr`unnion, so that said breech -piece becomes an eccentric or cam, which, as thesaid breech-piece is rotated on its trunnions by means of any suitable lever, c,

(either formed with or attached to said breechpiece,) compresses onto and j ams perfectly tight against the curved edge of said mortise, covering up and effectually closing the bore or caliber of the gun and preventing the escape of any fire from the explosion. At the same time the ultimate resistance to said explosion is taken on the trunnions 1 l in the line, or nearly so, of the bore of the gun, so that there is not the least tendency for the explosion to move the breech, and the peculiar form of the grooves 3 3 causes the trunnions to take a large bearing-surface. The parts moving on the trunnions have a rotating motion that is not easily obstructed by soilage, and, in accordance with the position of the curved edge of the breech-piece, compared with a true circle from the center of the trunnions, (sec dotted line,) so will be the power with which the surfaces will be compressed together at the rear end of the bore of the gun, for if the center from which said forward edge is curved nearly coincides with the centers of the trunnions, the leverage e will cause the breech to be rotated while the surfaces are forced together, but if the center of said arc on the breech-piece be farther-removed from the centers of said trunnions, the leverecan be moved but little after the surfaces. come in contact. Consequently they will not be forced together so closely,

In order to remove the breech-piece d, the lever c is lifted and thrown toward the position denoted by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, which first disen gages the curved surface from its contact with the rear of the bore of the gun by rotating the breech-piece on its center; and when the lever comes nearly vertical, a cam or projection, 4, attached to the breech-piece, takes the top of the gun, near the edge of the mortise, and forms a fulcrum, on which the breech is lifted bodily by the farther motion of the lever e, the trunnions l l sliding up in the grooves 3 3 until the bore or caliber ofthe gun is left clear to receive any cartridge placed in from the rear in any suitable manner, the breech and lever assuming the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and on again throwing down the lever the breech is dropped into place and rotated till the eccentric or cam shape forms a tight joint. Thus any explosion does not tend to displace the breechpiece, even if the breech is not turned entirely into place, because the journals are on the line of the caliber of the gun.

The piece may be fired by any suitable means adapted to the size and character of the gun 5 but With cannon I prefer to use the means shown in Fig. 2, Which consist of a hammer and its tumbler f, set on a pin, 5, between anges depending from the under side of the cannon.

2 is a nipple, so inserted through the breechpiece el that it takes the end of the hammer or cock f and communicates the detonation to the cartridge on the line, or nearly so, of the center of the caliber of the gun, thereby said cartridge is exploded. Theweight of the hammer j' causes it to hang down in the position shown by dotted lines, When it is to receive any suitable detonating cap or wafer, and the gunner, to fire the piece, merely pulls on a cord or chain, (i, attached to the tumbler of the hammer, throwing the same up against the nipple 2, exploding the cap and. iiring the piece. By this arrangement the gunner does not have to cock the piece by hand, and the hammer is also in a convenient .position for receiving the detonating-cap.

Vhen desired, the hammer may be set in journals on the under side of the breech-piece,

in Which' position its action Will be the same as before specified.

What I desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. rIhe eccentric or cam-shaped piece d, set on trunnions l 1, so tha-t the operation of rotating said breech-piece on its trunnions by a lever or any suitable means compressesthe curved surface of said. breech-piece against the rear of the bore or caliber of the gun, as specified.

2. Removing said breech-piece from the line of the bore or caliber of said gun by rotating said breech in the reverse direction, causing the cam or projection 4 or its equivalent to act as a fulcrum, on which said breech is lifted by the one operation of rotating the breech, the trunnions l l sliding up in the grooves 3 3, as speciiied.

3. The construction and arrangement of the hammer f and nipple 2,Whereby the hammer is cocked by its own weight, for the purpose and as specified.

In testimony whereof I have'hereunto set my signature this 23d day of August, 1854.

WILLIAM E. OSBORN.

W'itnesses:

LEMUEL XV. SERRELL, THoMAs G. HAROLD. 

